


Breaking a Promise

by KieraElieson



Series: Kiera’s Bad Things Happen Bingo [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Bad Things Happen Bingo, Developing Friendships, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Mer AU, Whipping, breaking a promise
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:46:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,017
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27105181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KieraElieson/pseuds/KieraElieson
Summary: Logan stumbles across a stuck Mer named Roman. He lets him go, and they become friends, with the one promise that Roman will never try to pull Logan into the sea.
Relationships: Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders
Series: Kiera’s Bad Things Happen Bingo [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952992
Comments: 15
Kudos: 97





	Breaking a Promise

Logan took a step back, eyes wide. Of all the things he’d expected to see, this was not one. 

“What, are you just going to stare at me?” The merman grouched. “I know I’m gorgeous, but if you want to stare, you ought to be taking me for a date first.”

Logan couldn’t find words. And neither could he tear his gaze away. 

He’d been coming progressively closer to the shore, attempting exposure therapy for his fears, but he’d never found much more than shells and an occasional starfish. Nothing like this. 

The merman flipped his tail, spraying sand over Logan. “Look, whatever you want with me, you could just start and stop being so rude.”

It broke Logan out of his trance enough to move forward, shaking sand off of his head. “Are you stuck?”

The merman rolled his eyes. “No, absolutely not. I’m just sitting here under this rock cause it’s comfy.”

Logan walked around him, out of reach of his arms and tail. He was pretty far up on the beach, wedged under the edge of a rock. As if he had gotten under while the tide was high, and the sand wet and fluid, and become stuck as the water drained away. 

“Would you like my assistance to get out?”

The merman narrowed his eyes. “And what comes after that?”

Logan considered for a moment. “I would have thought you would want to get back into the water. However perhaps I was mistaken.”

“What, and you’ll just get me out and let me go again?”

“I don’t see why not.”

The merman still looked suspicious. “Fine. Yes, help me out please.”

Logan took a step closer, noting the size and apparent strength of the merman. “I would prefer if you stayed still.”

The merman shrugged, putting his free arm behind his head and… was he really flexing?

Logan knelt beside him and started digging the sand away. If he found the tightest point, it wouldn’t take too much and he could have the merman free. 

It took a bit of digging, but he finally found it, scrabbling at the sand and then scooping it away. The merman tipped into the little divot, and Logan popped his head up. 

“May I pull you? I believe you could be free from here.”

The merman was looking around, seemingly coming to the same conclusion, albeit a bit slower. “Yeah, pull me.” He wrapped his arm around Logan’s shoulders, and Logan pulled at his waist. 

It still took some wiggling and maneuvering, but he finally slipped free. 

“There!” Logan said, proud of his accomplishment. 

The merman rolled onto his stomach, propped up on his arms. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome. Would you like me to pull you closer to the water?”

The merman waved him off. “Nah, I’ve got it. Thanks though. And… if you ever happen to need help near the ocean, call for Roman.”

It took Logan several seconds while the merman crawled into the water to realize that it was most likely his name. 

“Oh! Yes, I will. And my name’s Logan.”

The merman flashed him a brilliant smile, waving before he disappeared under the water. 

  * •^*^••



“Oh! Logan! Hi!”

Logan startled, falling off his rock and onto the sand. 

Roman even laughed at him, swimming up close and crawling the last few feet to be near Logan. “Sorry, are you alright?”

Logan glared. “Well I was fine until you showed up.” He stood up and brushed himself off, before climbing up onto his little rock again. 

“Whatcha doing?”

Logan debated answering him, but decided that it wouldn’t hurt anything. Unless he laughed again. 

“I have observed that the top of this rock regularly is dry even during high tide. I am intending to sit here and observe the water as it approaches and surrounds me, from the safety of this rock.”

Roman frowned slightly, looking around. “It doesn’t get much higher than three inches there. You could just wait and walk to the rock.”

Logan shook his head. “I do not wish to touch the water. And the observation is half of the objective.”

“Oh? What’s the other half?” Roman asked, slipping down the sand to get a bit more of his tail wet. 

Logan turned away, fixing his gaze on the horizon. “That’s none of your business.”

Roman rolled over onto his back, tipping his head back so he could still look up at Logan. “Awww, why not?”

“It just isn’t. It’s private.”

“Is it to not get wet?” Roman asked, his tone teasing, as he flipped his tail to spray water in Logan’s general direction. 

“Don’t.”

“What, the pretty little book nerd is too delicate to get wet?” Roman splashed again, some of the water hitting Logan. 

“I said don’t,” Logan said, annoyed. 

“Aww, come on, a little play in the waves never hurt anyone,” Roman teased, reaching forwards and grabbing Logan’s ankle. 

“Roman, stop.”

“Come on!” Roman tugged, and Logan was pulled much nearer than he wanted to be. 

“No, Roman, don’t—“

“The water’s so nice today,” Roman pulled him farther, his foot disappearing into the foam and water, where he couldn’t see. He couldn’t see what was there and it could be anything. He was being pulled into deep water, where even if he could try to swim he’d drown, and even if he didn’t drown there were monsters in the deep, and he wouldn’t be able to see them coming and—

“ _ STOP!”  _ Logan screeched, jerking backwards, and scrabbling away from the water. 

Roman froze, regret appearing on his face at once. “I’m sorry. What— did I hurt you?”

“I don’t like the ocean!” Logan yelled, running up past the high tide mark. His heart was still pounding, everything in him trembling and urging him to run, run far away and never, never come back. 

“I’m sorry,” Roman said again, pulling himself to a place where they could speak easily, but no further. “I won’t do it again, I swear.”

Logan sat on the sand, fighting back an illogical urge for tears. “I don’t want to go in the water.”

“That’s perfectly fine. I’m sorry for trying to push you.”

Logan sighed. “I don’t think I want to try the rock today. I might just go home.”

“Really, Logan, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

Logan sighed again. “I forgive you. But if you go back on that promise I won’t do it again.”

“Never,” Roman said, miming an x over his heart. 

Logan nodded. “In that case… I will likely come back here on Wednesday.”

Roman brightened. “In the morning?”

Logan nodded. “I’ll see you then.”

Roman grinned and waved as Logan walked home.

  * •^*^••



“I found this for you,” Roman offered, holding out what looked like a pearl. 

“What is it?”

“It’s a mermaid tear. Well, not a normal one, this one’s a bit complicated to make, but I got her to cry!” Roman suddenly faltered. “Not like that. I wouldn’t ever hurt a lady. She cried tears of laughter, which is why it’s so light, see?” 

He placed it in Logan’s hand, and it certainly was light, even for something so small. 

“If you eat it, you’ll never drown. I know it won’t help the rest of your fear, but it can help with that piece.”

Logan looked into Roman’s eyes , searching for any sign of trickery. “If I take this, you won’t drag me into the water.”

“Never. I swear.”

Logan dropped the pearl into his mouth, and was surprised as it melted instantly, leaving a salty taste on his tongue. 

Roman grinned brightly. 

  * •^*^••



“Roman!” 

Logan had been calling for a few minutes, but he supposed the sound wouldn’t carry easily underwater, so it was logical that Roman hadn’t arrived yet. 

Finally though, there was a flash of red in the distance, and a minute later Roman’s head popped up close to shore, and he slid up onto the sand. 

“Did something happen?” Roman asked. 

Logan suddenly felt a bit embarrassed about what he was doing. He fidgeted with his bag strap. “Um… nothing bad. I just. Wouldyoulikesomethinglikethis?” He practically threw the red fabric at Roman. 

Roman caught it surprisingly easily and just stared, gaping at it. “I love it.” He folded it once lengthwise and draped it over his shoulder, tying it into a kind of sash. 

Logan let out a sigh of relief and happiness. “I treated it so that it shouldn’t lose its color from the salt water.”

Roman looked up at him as if he’d hung the stars. “Logan, I love it.”

Logan colored slightly. “I am very glad it pleases you.”

Roman kept adjusting the sash, grinning more and more. “You have no idea how hard it is to get color to stay on clothes underwater, and it matches my tail too!”

Logan smiled. “I assumed it would be something that you would like.”

“It is! It’s amazing! I have to show Remus!”

“Remus?”

“He’s my brother,” Roman said, slightly absently, as he was adjusting the sash and trying to catch his reflection in the water. 

“I wasn’t aware you had a brother.”

Roman nodded. “I have a twin, and then an older brother. Well, adopted older brother, but that doesn’t change much. Do you have siblings?”

“Not that I’m aware of.”

Roman suddenly got a strange look on his face. “That you’re aware of?”

The reminder slightly dampened Logan’s happiness. “I’m indentured here. When I left my mother was still of child-bearing age and married to my father, so it’s not impossible for me to have sibling I am unaware of.”

“What, they don’t write to you or anything?”

Logan shook his head. He’d much rather change the subject. “What about your brothers? What is it like to live with them?”

“Oh, I don’t  _ quite  _ live with them. We’re just close. But it’s pretty fun, when they aren’t trying to be annoying on purpose. I could tell you so many stories!”

Logan nodded, very interested in what mer life would be like and how it might differ from human life. 

  * •^*^••



“It’s ok. I’ve scared off all the fish around here, and the dock is sturdy. I couldn’t break it, so it won’t just crumble.”

“What if your attempts just weakened it enough that it needs something small to take it the rest of the way?” Logan asked. 

“Pssh, no, it’s sturdy,” Roman promised. “And I’d catch you anyway, if anything happened. Swim you right back to shore.”

Logan still hesitated. 

“Come on. Just one step to start. You’ll still be over sand for a long way. You can do it.”

Logan swallowed heavily and took a step forward. 

Roman clapped happily. “Well done!” 

Logan smiled. It’d be fine. At least till he reached the water he’d be fine walking on the dock. He walked all the way to that spot where the water lapped gently on the sand under the dock. 

“You can do it specs. I’ll be right here to catch you if anything happens.”

Logan tentatively took another step forward, but the dock was just as sturdy as it always was. 

Roman clapped for him again, and Logan couldn’t help the little smile. 

“It’s like the rocks. I’m safe on the dock.”

Roman nodded. “Absolutely.”

Logan took another step. And another. And another. He walked out, farther over the water than he’d ever been before, and finally knelt at the edge, looking down into the depths. 

Roman swam lazily a few inches below the water, grinning up at him. 

Logan grinned back. 

  * •^*^••



Roman suddenly pulled himself out of the water, all the way up onto the dock. He grabbed Logan’s arm more suddenly than he expected, and Logan couldn’t quite repress the sudden flinch. 

“Logan, what’s this?”

Logan looked away. “It’s nothing.”

Roman rolled up his sleeve, the whole mark now on display. “This isn’t nothing, Logan! What happened?”

Logan clenched his jaw. 

“Logan, please.”

Logan held out a few more seconds, but he finally just sighed. “I disobeyed the rules.”

Roman’s eyes blazed. “What, and they hit you?! What did they use to make a mark like this??”

Logan pulled his arm away. “I’d really rather talk about something else.”

Roman set a hand gently on his shoulder. “Logan, this isn’t ok. I don’t care what you did, no one should be able to just hit you like this.”

“And what do you think I’m supposed to do about it!?” Logan suddenly snapped. He turned away. “I’m sorry.”

“Has this been happening, or is it new?” Roman pressed gently. 

Logan sighed. “It is precedented. Usually, I would follow the rules more stringently, or at least have the presence of mind not to be caught.”

Roman just frowned intensely. He opened a bag he’d been hanging from his sash. “I have first aid supplies, can I use them on you?”

Logan was inclined to say no, but was more curious about the mer equivalent to first aid, so he nodded. 

“Are there any more?” Roman asked. 

Logan didn’t answer. 

“Logan. Really. Are there more?”

Logan frowned, muttering. “I’d have to take my shirt off…”

Roman looked like he was about to explode with anger. “I don’t even care what rule you broke, if I ever get close enough I would give back double for everything they’ve done to you!”

Logan chuckled weakly. “Thank you for the offer. I don’t think they’ll be coming down to the beach though.”

“Can I help you out of your shirt?” Roman asked, and Logan nodded. 

“Now why not?” Roman asked, carefully pulling his shirt up and probably eyeing Logan’s sloppy care of the welts on his back.

“Well, I’m indentured to an… they call themselves alchemists. They attempt to figure out magic purely through science.”

Roman made a vague displeased sound, gingerly peeling back the bandages. 

“It’s the wrong way of going about it. Entirely wrong. You observe the magic  _ first,  _ and find what rules it operates by. You don’t start from an incomplete science and try to recreate.”

Roman made another sound as proof he was listening. 

“But anyway. They don’t want anyone to perform or attempt any of the traditional magic. All of the real magic users have since fled the town. Even though—“ Logan sighed. “It’s a long story.”

“I have time,” Roman said gently. 

“Well, it’s just— there’s not really such a thing as a witch the way they make it out to be! No human has magic innately. We just manipulate what there is around us. But they don’t believe that. They think there’s some source of magic within some people, and that that source corrupts them.”

“And,  _ this,  _ then, was intended to stop the ‘corruption’?” Roman asked, his voice dripping with disgust and anger. 

Logan nodded. “But to answer your question earlier, they not only distrust the sea because of the magic within it, but they’ve managed to anger someone or something down there. Several have died from swimming or otherwise interacting with the water.”

Roman had finished taking the bandage off and gently cleaning, and started spreading something blissfully cool over Logan’s back. “Is that part of why you’ve been so afraid of the water?”

“Perhaps. Much of the fear is natural, though illogical. But I’m sure that it didn’t help my younger mind to hear those stories.”

Roman eased Logan’s shirt back down, and it seemed to press the medicine further into his back, making him shiver, and relax more than he had in a few days. 

“Logan, I swear to you. If you ever wish to come to the sea, it will be safe for you.”

Logan smiled slightly. “Thank you.”

  * •^*^••



“Logan, this is getting to be too much!” Roman said. “Please, you have to do something. Run away or something.”

Logan groaned. He felt awful. “I don’t have anywhere to run to.”

Roman gently started lifting his shirt, but Logan shoved his hand away. “No, they’re getting suspicious of how quickly I heal.”

Roman looked at him, pain clear in his eyes. “I can’t just leave you hurting.”

“It’ll hurt more if you do.” 

Judging by Roman’s expression, that was entirely the wrong thing to say. 

“What can I do then? Give me something, anything, I’ll do it. There are curses to turn mer human, I’ll come up there myself.”

“No. No, don’t you dare go cursing yourself for me.”

“Did I say curse? I meant, um, blessings. Blessing to turn me human, humans are the best!”

Logan chuckled. “No. Please don’t. It’s only another year before the indenture ends.”

“But it’s gotten this bad in  _ months _ . I can’t just sit back and leave you in this for a year.”

Logan set a hand on Roman’s shoulder. “You’ve already done so much. I might have turned into one of them without you.”

“It’s not enough if you’re still hurting.”

Logan smiled slightly. “Thank you for caring so much. But I don’t think there’s anything you could do.”

  * •^*^••



Roman roamed the coast now. Carefully, of course. He didn’t want to be seen by any other humans. But he kept hoping that he’d catch a glimpse of Logan in the market or something, and be able to wave. They only met every few days, and sometimes only very briefly. 

He usually spent more time around the little beach Logan liked, but he’d gotten to have a relatively enjoyable time people watching near the village. 

It was a larger village, sprawling down the hill, with a harbor heading out to sea. Mostly the boats were all fishing boats, but there was one that came and went that seemed to be a merchant boat. 

But as Roman swam closer, the busy docks and boats seemed strangely still. There were many people, but all still. He popped his head up above the water to see better and try to figure out what was happening. 

They were all watching something, though what it was he couldn’t see past them. They were all out on the docks and everything. 

“—and rid our town of this witch!” Someone said loudly. 

There was a loud  _ snap  _ sound, and a scream. Roman froze, his blood chilling. He swam quickly, no longer worried about being seen, and finally reached a place where he could see. 

There was Logan. He was tied to a pole, and there was blood running down his back. Someone stood over him, bringing down a whip again. Logan screamed, his body jolting as far as the ropes would allow. 

Roman was frozen in terror for several long, horrible seconds. And then he  _ moved.  _

The dock was higher than anything he’d ever tried climbing before, and he had no idea how he got up there, just that he did. He drew a knife and cut the ropes, grabbing Logan and plunging back into the water. 

The crowd seemed to explode with movement. Yelling, and throwing things after them into the water. Even some jumping in themselves. 

But Roman was faster, swimming out to sea. 

Logan screamed, thrashing against his hold. Roman stopped, his mind still buzzing with fury. He let Logan go, but he only seemed to panic further, screaming and flailing. 

Only then did Roman remember. 

A pang ran through him, knowing that, for Logan, he’d just made everything many times worse. And he’d broken his promise to never pull Logan into the ocean. 

He grabbed him, pulling him along, and trying to figure out where they could surface. He was  _ not  _ taking him back there. Never. 

He wanted to take Logan home. Where he would be safe.

But he couldn’t. 

And then Logan stopped moving. He’d passed out. 

Roman panicked even more. He knew Logan could breathe, but it was still terrifying to have his friend’s body lying limp in his arms. 

And what if it was blood loss? The salt water wouldn’t help with that at all! 

Roman finally remembered the small island. There were a few humans there, but they were kind, and familiar with the mer. He could take Logan there. 

Roman patched up Logan’s back quickly and sped to the island. 

He hefted Logan onto the shore, as gently as he could. 

“Patton! Virgil!”

Virgil got there first, in only a few seconds. 

“Please,” Roman begged, tears running down his face. “He’s hurt, and he’s scared of the ocean, I can’t help him.”

“What happened?” Virgil asked, kneeling next to Logan and checking for a pulse. 

“The-the humans. They were torturing him!”

Virgil kept carefully inspecting. “What about all the water?”

“I gave him a mermaid’s tear. He can breathe the water. Can you help him?”

“I think we can. Once Patton gets here we’ll take him inside.”

A sob forced its way up and out of his throat. “Thank you! What can I do? Is there anything I can help with?”

“Patton will know better. Just wait till he gets here.”

Roman nodded. 

  * •^*^••



Logan woke up in a bed, warm and dry, and with only the faintest twinge of pain. A stranger was sitting beside his bed, apparently sewing something, and faced away from him. 

Logan cleared his throat, and the person jumped. 

“Oh! Good morning. Are you feeling any better?”

“I believe so. How… who are you? And how did I get here? The last I—“ trying to remember drowned his mind in a swirl of dark, cold water. Logan winced, staring into the small fire that was burning, and trying not to think of it. 

“Apparently you were being whipped, and your mermaid friend rescued you. He brought you here so we could help you get better. My name’s Patton, and Virgil is around somewhere.”

Logan nodded slowly, still staring at the fire. “What, um… I don’t have money. I’d pay you back somehow.”

Patton waved him off. “Oh, no, I’ve had to keep Roman busy, and he’s getting us enough things that would far more than pay for you using a little bed.”

Logan nodded again slowly. “How long have I been asleep?”

“A few days. We used the good medicine on you, but it still tired your body out. If you’re still sleepy, you should try and sleep a bit more.”

Logan shook his head. “I want to see Roman first.”

Patton smiled gently. “I figured you would.”

Patton helped Logan to carefully get up. It didn’t hurt, though he was shaky and wobbly and weak. 

“I can make it from here,” Logan said, seeing through a window that they were close to the sea. 

“If you’re sure… what if I brought a chair out there?”

“I can sit on the ground. But thank you for your concern.”

Patton let him go, and Logan slowly tottered out to the beach and sat down on the sand. 

It wasn’t long before Roman’s head popped up. “Logan!”

Logan threw a shell at him. 

Roman let out a sound like a squeak, ducking away under the water. He popped up again a moment later, and Logan threw a shell again. 

The third time he popped up, he looked incredibly meek and sorrowful. “Please don’t be mad at me. I’m sorry. I didn’t know what else to do.”

Logan had always had a hard time resisting Roman’s sincerity, and now was no different, but he held his ground. “You promised to never do that. You broke your promise.”

Roman ducked down, only his eyes showing above the water. 

“I told you I wouldn’t forgive you a second time.”

Roman popped up again, his mouth opening, but no words coming out. He sank back down, a terribly sad resignation painted over his face. “Yeah, you did.”

“But you also saved my life.” Logan said.

Ugh, Roman’s hopeful, wide eyes were just too much. 

“So I won’t just forgive you, but I will give you a chance.”

The hope grew even more. 

“You must stay nearby until my fear of the ocean fades. And you must help me to conquer it. Then I’ll forgive you.”

Roman surged up out of the water and grabbed Logan in a tight hug. “You’re such a dork! I wasn’t leaving anyway and you scared me!”

Logan just hugged him back. “Thank you, Roman.”

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  



End file.
